Alb. Thou changed, and felf-cover'd thing, for

Shame,

Be-monster not thy feature. Were't my fitness
To let thefe bands obey my blood,

They're apt enough to dislocate and tear

Thy flesh and bones.-Howe'er thou art a fiend,
A woman's fhape doth fhield thee.

Gon. Marry, your manhood now!

Enter Meffenger.

Mef. Oh, my good Lord, the Duke of Cornwall's dead,

Slain by his fervant, going to put out

The other eye of Glofter.

Alb. Glo'fter's eyes!

Mef. A fervant, that he bred, thrill'd with remorse, Oppos'd against the act, bending his fword

To his great mafter; who, thereat enrag'd,
Flew on him, and amongst them fell'd him dead,
But not without that harmful stroke, which fince
Hath pluck'd him after.

Alb. This fhews you are above,

You Justices, that these our nether crimes

So speedily can 'venge.

Loft he his other eye?

But O poor Glo'fter!

Mef. Both, both, my Lord.

-This letter, Madam, craves a speedy answer; 'Tis from your fifter.

Gon. [Afide.] One way, I like this well,

Thou changed, and felf-cover'd thing!] Of thefe lines there is but one copy, and the editors are forced upon conjecture. They have published this line thus:

Thou chang'd, and felf-con

verted thing! but I cannot but think that by Jelf-cover'd the authour

meant, thou that haft disguised nature by wickedness; thou that haft bid the woman under the fiend.

One way, I like this well;] Gonerill is well pleased that Corn wall is deftroyed, who was preparing war against her and her husband, but is afraid of lofing Edmund to the widow.

But being widow, and my Glofter with her,
May all the building in my fancy pluck
Upon my hateful life. Another way,

The news is not fo tart. I'll read, and anfwer.

[Exit.

Alb. Where was his fon, when they did take his eyes?

Mef. Come with my Lady hither.

Alb. He's not here.

Mef. No, my good Lord, I met him back again.
Alb. Knows he the wickedness ?

Mef. Ay, my good Lord, 'twas he inform'd against
him,

And quit the house of purpose, that their punishment Might have the freer courfe.

Alb. [Afide.] Glo'fter, I live

To thank thee for the love thou fhew'dft the King, And to revenge thine eyes. Come hither, friend, Tell me, what more thou know'st,

[Exeunt.

Enter Kent, and a + Gentleman.

Kent. WHY the King of France is fo fuddenly gone

back

Know you the reason?

Gent. Something he left imperfect in the State, Which fince his coming forth is thought of, which

3 SCENE III.] This Scene, left out in all the common books, is reftored from the old edition; it being manifeftly of ShakeSpear's writing, and neceflary to continue the ftory of Cordelia, whofe behaviour is here most beautifully painted.

POPE.

This Scene feems to have been

left out only to fhorten the play, and is neceffary to continue the action. It is extant only in the quarto, being omitted in the firft folio. I have therefore put it in Italicks.

4 The Gentleman whom he fent in the foregoing act with letters to Cordelia.

Im

Imports the Kingdom fo much fear and danger,
That his perfonal Return was most requir'd and neceffary,
Kent. Whom bath he left behind him General ?
Gent. The Marefchal of France, Monfieur le Far.
Kent. Did your letters pierce the Queen to any demon-
ftration of grief?

Gent. Ay, Sir, she took 'em, read 'em in my prefence And now and then an ample tear trill'd down

Her delicate cheek; it seem'd, she was a Queen
Over her paffion, which, most rebel-like,

Sought to be King o'er ber.

Kent. O, then it mov'd her.

Gent. Not to a Rage.

Patience and Sorrow strove

Which should express her goodlieft; you have seen
Sun-fhine and rain at once;- ber Smiles and Tears
Were like a wetter May. Thofe happy smiles,
That play'd on her ripe lip, feem'd not to know
What guests were in her Eyes; which parted thence,
As pearls from diamonds dropt.—In brief,
Sorrow would be a rarity most belov'd,

If all could fo become it.

5

-her Smiles and Tears Were like a BETTER DAY.It is plain, we fhould read,

——ȧ WETTER MAY.

i. e. a spring feafon wetter than ordinary. WARBURTON,

Made fhe no verbal QUESTION?] Why, what kind of question could the make but verbal? Does not the word quef tion imply it? This is enough to prove fomething wrong. The anfwer fhews where it is. For tho' the Gentleman fays yes to the queftion; yet instead of proving his words, he runs out into a long story of Cordelia's com

Gent,

plaints and exclamations. The queftion then evidently was,

Made fhe no verbal QUEST? From queftus, complaint, i. e. did the lament and complain in words? And this was a proper question, because the might have. done it in fighs, and inarticulate exclamations. The answer too, is proper, and to the point, as the reader may fee. But the editors not understanding the fhort word queft, lengthened it into one, they did: And fo made Kent afk a nonfenfical question, and the Gentleman give as impertinent an answer. WARB.

Gent. Yes, once, or twice, she heav'd the Name of Father

Pantingly forth, as if it preft her heart.

Cry'd, fifters! fifters !-Shame of Ladies! fifters!
Kent! Father! Sifters! What? i' th' ftorm? i'th' night?
Let Pity ne'er believe it !—There she book

The holy water from her heav'nly Eyes;

7 And, Clamour moisten'd her, then away she started To deal with grief alone.

Kent. It is the Stars,

The Stars above us, govern our conditions :

8

Elfe one felf-mate and mate could not beget

Such diff'rent iffues. Spoke you with her fince?
Gent. No.

Kent. Was this before the King return'd?

Gent. No, fince.

Kent. Well, Sir; the poor diftreffed Lear's in town, Who fometimes, in his better tune, remembers

What we are come about, and by no means

Will yield to fee his daughter.

I do not fee the impropriety of verbal queftion: fuch pleonafms are common. So we fay, my ears have heard, my eyes have bebeld. Befides, where is the word queft to be found?

7 And, Clamour-moiften'd,] Tho' Clamour may distort the mouth, it is not wont to moiften the eyes. Read clamour-motion'd, which conveys a very beautiful idea of grief in Cordelia, and exactly in character. She bore her grief hitherto, fays the relater, in filence; but being no longer able to contain it, fhe flies away, and retires to her closet to deal with it in private. This he finely calls, Clamourmotion'd; or provok'd to a loud expreffion of her forrow, which

Gent. Why, good Sir?

Kent. A fov'reign fhame fo bows him. His unkindness, That ftript her from his benediction, turn'd her

To foreign cafualties, gave her dear rights

To bis dog-hearted daughters. These things fting
His mind fo venomously, that burning shame

Detains him from Cordelia.

Gent. Alack, poor gentleman!

Kent. Of Albany's and Cornwall's Pow'rs you heard

not?

Gent. 'Tis fo they are a-foot.

Kent. Well, Sir, I'll bring you to our master Lear,
And leave you to attend him. Some dear caufe
Will in concealment wrap me up awhile:

When I am known aright, you shall not grieve
Lending me this acquaintance. Pray, along with me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

A

CAMP.

Enter Cordelia, Phyfician, and Soldiers.

A

Cor. LACK, 'tis he; why, he was met ev'n now
As mad as the vext fea; finging aloud;
Crown'd with rank fumiterr, and furrow-weeds,
"With burdocks, hemlock, nettle, cuckoo-flowers,

9-These things fting him So venomously, that burning Shame-] The metaphor is here preserved with great knowledge of nature. The venom of poifonous animals being a high cauftic falt, that has all the effect of fire upon the part.

WARBURTON. • "Tis so they are on foot.] Dr.

Warburton thinks it neceffary to read, 'tis faid, but the fenfe is plain. So it is that they are on foot.

14

2 With bardocks, hemlock, &c.] I do not remember any fuch plant as a bardock, but one of the most common weeds is a burdock, which I believe fhould be. read here, and fo Hanmer reads.

Dar